Whistle while you work (or play)

On March 13, 2021March 1, 2021 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I spent some time at Circle B Bar Reserve watching the black bellied whistling ducks in late November. Just sitting on the trail for a while watching them go about their day. There were hundreds of them out in the marsh and they were very loud. Talking to each other, flying in and out. I love hearing the sound of their whistles (almost like a wheezing) as they moved about. I wonder what they are saying. “I see a hawk, everybody run.” or “You’re in my spot.” or “The bugs are better over here.” or “Mom, can I go play with Junior’s family?”. The ones with the gray beaks are juveniles.

On the other side of the trail was the lake with the cypress trees in the middle.

A warm walk in January at Circle B Bar Reserve

On February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

Birds flying high.

Black bellied whistling ducks hanging low in the grass, trying to avoid the haws and eagles flying overhead.

A blue headed vireo being cute.

An osprey was sitting on a branch that crossed over the trail. I was trying to make sure he didn’t poop on me while I was trying to take his picture. I’m not sure what type of fish that was but it had a red tint to it.

A cooper’s hawk hiding in the bushes across the canal.

Butterflies along the trail in January.

Ducks in a tree?

On March 23, 2019February 18, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

I can’t stop taking pictures of the black bellied whistling ducks at Circle B Bar Reserve. The reserve is pretty much the only place I see them (I’ve seen a few at Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa but that’s rare). They are very chatty and have so much personality. Look at those pink feet! They nest in holes or hollows in trees so I guess that’s why they spend a lot of time in trees. They were hanging out in a big old dead tree right along the trail.

The marsh was also covered with them. It was loud that morning walking down the trail and hearing them all whistling at the same time. The ones with the gray beaks are juveniles. There were several families there. They usually leave in late spring and the marsh is quiet again until the next winter.

Black bellies and yellow flowers

On February 7, 2019January 19, 2019 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

It’s always fun to see black bellied whistling ducks playing in the marsh. This time they were playing among the yellow bur marigolds in late December. Several families were hanging out in the same area. The adults have pink beaks and the juveniles still have gray beaks.

One was keeping an eye on a tricolored heron that was close to the group.

Flying across the marsh at Circle B Bar Reserve.

SkyWatch Friday

So many things to see

On January 15, 2018January 16, 2018 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

As I walked down Marsh Rabbit Run trail, I heard the black bellied whistling ducks yelling. It’s rare that they are quiet in the morning so I didn’t think anything of it. Then they all started to fly away and I saw on the right of the trail what scared them away.

The alligator got half way across the trail and then backed down into the water. I waited a while before heading on. Maybe he decided there was too much traffic on the trail to cross.

Other stuff along the trail.

Looks like he was close but was actually in the middle of the lake. Cropped in.

A foggy start to the morning but ended up being a beautiful day in early December at Circle B Bar Reserve.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

Plants and baby ducks at Lettuce Lake Park

On December 30, 2017December 5, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

Some of the many plants at Lettuce Lake Park.

I caught a quick glimpse of a black bellied whistling duck family. They were passing through under the boardwalk and headed into the swamp. They paused for a few minutes and I snapped the above. The babies are so cute. They look like little bumble bees.

More of the same

On December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography3 Comments

A red shoulder hawk greets me as I walk on the trail. Right after I shot the hawk, an eagle flies high over my head.

A snowy egret skimming along the marsh and a great blue heron posing.

I think this is a female indigo bunting. I had heard there were buntings in this part of the trail but I didn’t see any male blue ones. Any confirmation?

One of the many sparrows that hangs out at the intersection of Heron Hideout trail and Eagles Roost trail. Not sure if it’s a Savannah or Swamp,

This little lady flew right in front of me and landed on the tiny stick. She sat there forever.

More black bellied whistling ducks in the marsh.

Same ole gators along the trail.

From my early November visit to Circle B Bar Reserve.

Linking to Wednesday Around the World

Whistling a “tune”.

On December 16, 2017November 27, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography1 Comment

Black bellied whistling ducks in the fog across the marsh.

There was lots of activity going on with the whistlers flying back and forth all morning. I was a little bummed that the sky was so dark that morning. Started to drizzle while I was there.

The marsh was full of the whistlers in early November at Circle B Bar Reserve. I haven’t seen this many in several winters. They were all very noisy and unsettled early that Saturday morning.

Getting up close with Florida critters.

On October 9, 2017October 10, 2017 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography2 Comments

Up close with a ruddy duck.

And black bellied whistling ducks. One was missing an eye

A pretty lady wood duck.

A very important sign. Even the night heron standing in front of it should not be fed.

“Hooo’s there?” said the burrowing owl.

Crawling critters behind glass.

Growing inside the aquarium, the beauty berry can be see in the many of the parks around Tampa. The birds and critters eat the berries.

On the wall in the aquarium, this would make cool wallpaper.

A few things from a recent trip to the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. When it’s too hot to see the fishies from the beach, it’s time to head inside at the aquarium.

Our World Tuesday Graphic image-in-ing: weekly photo linkup

An early June walk at Lettuce Lake Park.

On August 4, 2016August 4, 2016 By dinajohnstonIn bird photography4 Comments

I think this is a very young red-eyed vireo.

A prothonotary warbler. They nest here in the summer.

I heard whistling and saw the black bellied whistling ducks on the top of the observation tower, only because there weren’t any people on the tower yet.

I snuck up the first flight of stairs and saw them looking down at me. I didn’t want to scare them off so I went back down and headed away from the tower. After a few minutes someone came down the boardwalk and headed up the tower so they flew off.